The moment I met Lee Horbachewski and listened to her life's journey at the Woman Embracing Brilliance event, I felt a connection. With words, Lee painted a beautiful, honest, painful yet transforming picture which was so powerful for me that the visuals were instant. When Lee approached me to commission a painting I was thrilled as I had already visualized what it could be before we connected.

My process: I lit a candle, turned on some tranquil music and let my paintbrush connect to a higher power which flowed through me. I listened to my intuition and stepped into Lee's 'soul' shoes to transform her emotions onto canvas. I continued to play her story through my mind and the bits of conversation we had over the next few months. Her vibrant energy and observing how friends admired her or wanted to be next to her evoked pure love. I would frequent all the uplifting and emotional posts she would make on Facebook along with the glorious responses and abundance of support. I allowed myself to take this all in, revisit her pain and triumph and turn this array of emotions into a portrait of healing.

The Effect: My goal was to achieve the coming out on the other side of pain. The celebration of living a genuine life for herself and for many others lives she has graced by her presence. It is also a future glimpse at how Lee will flow gracefully and genuinely through life and create a clear cut path for others. It's a collage of beauty and serenity with the use of vivid colour, purple being her favourite. Orchids, daisies and lotus blossoms scattered playfully like a crown and veil. The two birds of paradise, encompass either side of her head and are symbols of the two birds in her story who rescued her thoughts and changed her life and others lives around her for the better and forever. Through the positive choice she made to turn her life around, the butterflies represent this transformation from darkness to light. It is so many things all wrapped up into one. A warrior goddess, yet simply serene, colourful and vibrant. A Purposeful Soul, PurposefulLee.